On August 10, 2026, President Donald Trump suggested he might declare a national security emergency to exert control over American elections. During an interview, Trump responded to a media host's call for him to take sweeping control of the upcoming midterms, stating, "Let me just say stranger things have happened." This follows previous comments where Trump expressed a desire to "nationalize" voting and lamented not using military force to seize ballots after the 2020 election.
The U.S. Constitution grants states and Congress the authority over election administration, meaning Trump does not have the power to control elections. Wayne Allyn Root, a host on Real America’s Voice, encouraged Trump to bypass democratic processes by declaring a national security emergency, claiming it would allow him to implement strict voting measures without Senate approval. Root's assertions, which lack constitutional grounding, suggest that such a declaration could not be challenged in court.
While Trump did not disavow Root's proposal, it represents a significant departure from established electoral norms. Historically, no president has declared a national emergency to alter or cancel elections. Trump has previously attempted to change election procedures through executive orders, both of which were blocked by courts. Recently, the White House has increased its promotion of election conspiracy theories, with Trump reiterating debunked claims about the 2020 election in a recent address.